In 1953 two psychologists, James Olds and Peter Milner, modified the famous experiment of the "Skinner Box", by implanting nodes in the pleasure center of rats and linking them to a lever, which then the rats would press to activate.
¿The result? The rats would press the lever up to 7000 times per hour. When they were hungry they kept pressing the lever instead of eating. They kept pressing it when they were thirsty. They kept pressing it when they were in heat. They even ignored their offspring to keep pressing the lever.
The nodes had to be removed, otherwise the rats would literally die of starvation and thirst.
They called this phenomenon "Brain stimulation reward".
In case it's not clear, I'm saying this atrocity is the closest thing to that without outright implanting electrodes in your brain. It's no wonder the person who made this worked on the gambling machine industry, only someone with such a disgusting background could think that the only harmful aspect of that industry is the "gambling" part.
Now, as an exercise, think of any of the reasons why someone could find a game enjoyable or worthwhile. A meticulously crafted gameplay, an original artstyle, imaginative music, a masterful narrative. These are the ones that come to mind. Well, none of these, nor any other reason that makes games, or art in general, good and beneficial to people are present in Vampire Survivors.
The only thing this thing can provide you is the same hollow, even harmful, mindless pleasure that the lever gave the rats. And, as happened with the rats, you should unplug this shit off your brain before you are incapable of enjoying anything else.
Edit: In case it needs to be said, I do not think anyone is stupid for liking VS, but I do think almost any videogame with a focus on their gameplay loop is a better use of your time in case you simply want to disconect. Play stardew valley, or into the breach, or hades, or crypt of the necrodancer, or enter the gungeon, or a forza horizon, or even play a monster hunter.
¿The result? The rats would press the lever up to 7000 times per hour. When they were hungry they kept pressing the lever instead of eating. They kept pressing it when they were thirsty. They kept pressing it when they were in heat. They even ignored their offspring to keep pressing the lever.
The nodes had to be removed, otherwise the rats would literally die of starvation and thirst.
They called this phenomenon "Brain stimulation reward".
In case it's not clear, I'm saying this atrocity is the closest thing to that without outright implanting electrodes in your brain. It's no wonder the person who made this worked on the gambling machine industry, only someone with such a disgusting background could think that the only harmful aspect of that industry is the "gambling" part.
Now, as an exercise, think of any of the reasons why someone could find a game enjoyable or worthwhile. A meticulously crafted gameplay, an original artstyle, imaginative music, a masterful narrative. These are the ones that come to mind. Well, none of these, nor any other reason that makes games, or art in general, good and beneficial to people are present in Vampire Survivors.
The only thing this thing can provide you is the same hollow, even harmful, mindless pleasure that the lever gave the rats. And, as happened with the rats, you should unplug this shit off your brain before you are incapable of enjoying anything else.
Edit: In case it needs to be said, I do not think anyone is stupid for liking VS, but I do think almost any videogame with a focus on their gameplay loop is a better use of your time in case you simply want to disconect. Play stardew valley, or into the breach, or hades, or crypt of the necrodancer, or enter the gungeon, or a forza horizon, or even play a monster hunter.
3 Comments
Gamer encounters addictive mechanics for the first time, in one of its least egregious implementations. This is a game people will play on the can or for something to do while listening to a podcast. Tetris is my usual go-to for these situations and this review could be just as easily posted under that.
Vampire Survivors is not as egregious as any subscription-based MMO, any game featuring loot boxes, most modern online shooters, most other phone games etc. etc. I can't imagine people wasting their life on this like they do with MMOs or blowing obscene cash like they do on freemium games, in fact the latter is impossible here. Some dopamine drips are worse than others but if we're condemning games for being comparable to a skinner box then virtually all games are going in the bin.
Vampire Survivors is not as egregious as any subscription-based MMO, any game featuring loot boxes, most modern online shooters, most other phone games etc. etc. I can't imagine people wasting their life on this like they do with MMOs or blowing obscene cash like they do on freemium games, in fact the latter is impossible here. Some dopamine drips are worse than others but if we're condemning games for being comparable to a skinner box then virtually all games are going in the bin.
so true atomiced and jackho
AtomicEd
1 year ago